NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) – A New Albany police officer, charged with official misconduct and battery, appeared for his initial hearing in Floyd County superior court.

Cpl. John Hall was indicted by a grand jury in mid-January on charges of battery, a misdemeanor, and official misconduct, a level 6 felony, for his actions in the arrest case of Jereme Koch in October 2016.

On Thursday, Hall appeared before the judge without counsel. The judge put in a plea of “not guilty” on his behalf and set a date for the next pre-trial conference for March 2.

WDRB asked Hall on his way out of the courthouse if he’d like to say anything regarding the charges.

“We’re just going to continue with the court process and let the attorneys handle everything we need,” Hall said.

Floyd County prosecutor Keith Henderson said Hall’s charges are connected to the Koch case but are not directly connected to the suspect’s arrest.

“It’s part of the incident, if you will, of a chase and arrest that night,” Henderson said. “It’s certainly an allegation separate from the arrest of the defendant.”

The indictment states Hall knowingly or intentionally struck Koch in the midsection in a rude, insolent, or angry manner.

Henderson said the New Albany Police Department became aware of the potential criminal accusations and requested Indiana State Police to investigate as an outside agency. Then, Henderson’s office was informed of the allegations and brought it to a grand jury.

Hall was put on an unpaid suspension when the indictment was made in January. The chief of the New Albany Police Department said, as of Thursday, Hall is still an employee of the department but remains on an unpaid suspension.